Games Where Spending North Of 1000 Hours Feels Easy

With creativity approaching its zenith day in and day out in the modern-day video game industry, it doesn’t take long for one to discover that some games are more replayable than others. And if you’re anything like me who loves digging into one IP at a time and squeezing the ever-living life out of it as much as possible, you like your games with vast potential, though it’s understandable why folks would prefer mid-size titles oftentimes just as well. 

I’ve decided to put together this piece that goes over some of the lesser-known games out in the industry that are packing a lot of punch to their name. I’ve deliberately kept names like Call of Duty, Battlefield, or any other well-known MMORPG that are already recognized for this trait, since the intention here is to guide you to new experiences.  

Prepare To Give Your Life Up For These Games

Make sure to go through the following entries diligently, and perhaps, post a comment down below in case you’ve got contributions to make to the list. 

1. Dwarf Fortress 

I’ll recommend Dwarf Fortress here for reasons more than one quite actually. Not only does this game take up less than 10 GB of space on your PC, it also happens to boast unrivaled storytelling that’s as dynamic as one would expect, and then some. You have to try out Dwarf Fortress, because, let’s be honest, you won’t be finding the time to play anything else, provided that you’re into simulation-based IPs. 

Bay 12 Games, following the launch of this game, has been praised to an exceptional level for the level of creativity exhibited. You can’t really put your finger on what to expect with Dwarf Fortress. I highly recommend reading some of the reviews on the title’s Steam listing to gain an idea as to what the game genuinely is. 

• Get it on Steam.

2. Project Zomboid 

A zombie survival masterclass by all sorts, Project Zomboid is a survival-centric title with a great emphasis on unpredictability and Soulslike difficulty, though this much is clear that it’s not a real Soulslike. You can lose weeks or even months’ worth of effort and progress via just one small hiccup, and that’s what keeps you on the edge every time you play the title. 

• Get it on Steam.

3. RimWorld 

Again, the sky is the limit when you’ve got RimWorld in the room. The game may not seem like much at first, but you truly don’t know what you’re looking at here until you take the time to dig deeper. From melee weapons and crops that you can farm to trying different mods and managing your colony, there’s not a lot that RimWorld missed out on, being a simulation-based game. 

eXputer reviewed the title and rated it 4.5/5.0, calling it a “captivating experience” that offers “a unique mix of survival, strategy, and storytelling, unlike anything you’ll find in the genre.” 

• Get it on Steam.

4. Mount & Blade 

Many could be finding out about Mount & Blade here for the very first time, but let me tell you why you’ll be glad you did that in just a second. It came out all the way in 2008 but still manages to hold its own as one of the definitive free-roam experiences in the genre, mainly due to its fantastic combat, rich locations and attention to detail, and creative liberty to make choices that affect your gameplay. 

One Steam reviewer says the following about the game, 

There is no story or plot in Mount & Blade. It is completely up to you what you want to do next. Recruit men for your army, visit castles and cities to receive quests, gain favor for one of the five factions on the map, join their ranks, become your own lord with land and tax income, the possibilities are endless.”

• Get it on Steam.

5. Warframe 

As far as free-to-play experiences go, Warframe is sure as heck on the level of paid games and then some, being one of the most veteran live service titles in the business. It’s a third-person shooter with RPG elements, fine campaign, great gameplay mechanics, and a ton of potential for spicing up your playthroughs with mods. 

Just so you know, eXputer spoke to the makers of Warframe, going over some of the burning questions the Warframe community has had for some time now.

• Get it on Steam.

6. The Binding Of Isaac Rebirth 

Last but not least, I’ve got another hidden gem over here in the name of The Binding of Isaac, a roguelike shooter with fairly addictive gameplay, featuring superpowers and abilities to help Isaac — the protagonist — overcome getting sacrificed by his own mother for nothing. I will recommend, however, that you pick up The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, and not the previous version.

That’s because you’ll find more optimization and smoother gameplay in the Rebirth variant. The type of title this is, it’ll easily have you spending north of 1000 hours in-game without breaking a sweat. 

• Get it on Steam.